Ieof foe cabbia



(No Model.)

J. P. PALLON,

GEAR IRON FO R GARRIAGES.

No. 373,227. Patented Nov. 15, 1887.

PATENT Prion,

JOHN F. FALLON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GEAR-IRON FOR CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,227, dated November15, 1887.

7 Application filed February 18, 1887. Serial No. 228,034. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, JOHN F. FALLON, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in the Gear-Irons of Carriages andother Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangementof the fifthwheel, head-block plate, and drop-perch sockets of carriagesand other vehicles, and has for its object to enable the body of thevehicle to be brought down and to obtain greater I 5 strength and lessliability to breakage than with the ordinary irons.

It consists, as applied particularly to double drop-perch sockets, inswelling or enlarging the ends of these sockets where welded or stampedonto the head-block plate, in lieu of being flush therewith,as atpresent, and in securing each drop-perch socket to the fifthwheel by aspecially-shaped safety or king bolt, which passes through the arc slotof the fifth-wheel without interfering with the free movement of thelatter, and so allowing of the use of a full curved fifth-wheel,insteadof segments,as in many cases.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aplan, partly broken away,of'the carriagegear to which my invention relates; Fig. 2, a sideelevation thereof, and Fig. 3a section to full size through linex 00 inFig. 1.

Like letters of reference denote like parts in 5 allthe figures.

a represents the head-block plate, and b b the double dropperch sockets,the ends of which, where they are welded or stamped onto the rear edgeof the head-block plate a,

40 are formed with a swell or enlargement, c,- passing part way acrossthe upper side of the head-block a,instead of the ends being joineddirectly to the edge and flush with the top side of the head-block platea, as at present.

5 This swell or enlargement 0 adds greatly to the strength of thejunction of the dropperch sockets with the head-block plate a,andprevents any sudden fracture thereat, which is an important desideratumin the case of accident to the vehicle.

From the head-block plate a the double drop perch sockets I) pass (oneon each side of the center of the body) under the fifth-wheel gear d, towhich each socket b is secured by a safety or king bolt, e, which passesthrough the fifth-wheel d, are slot f, and perch-socket b, beneath whichit is tightened up by a nut,

as shown. ,This bolt 6, where it passes through the arc slot f of thefifth-wheel, is

formed with a square or rectangular portion,

g, presenting a shoulder to the top of the perch-socket 6, between whichshoulder and the under side of the perch-socket b the bolt 6 istightened up, sufficient play being allowed between the shoulder andhead of the bolt 6 and at the sides of the square portion 9 of the bolt6 for the radial motion of the fifth-wheel. By this means I dispensewith all fifth-wheel stays or king-bolt yokes as at present used, andobtain a double fastening and support for the drop -perch sockets b,combined with greater steadiness for the body of the vehicle than theordinary double perchplates.

. My invention is also applicable to a single drop-perch socket.

I am aware that drop-perches have been heretofore connected with thehead-block 4 plate, and with the upper circle plate of the fifth-wheel,by bolts which passed through a curved slot in the lower circle-plate ofthe fifth-wheel, and do not herein broadly claim the same; but

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In gear-irons for vehicles, thecombination of a head-block plate and a drop-perch iron having a swellor enlargement, 0, extending partially across the head-block plate atthe junction of the parts, substantially as and for the purposesspecified. 9o

2. In gear-irons for vehicles, the combination of a drop-perch, afifth-wheel having a slotted circle-plate, and a king-bolt having ashoulder to bear on the drop-perch, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

3. In gear-irons for vehicles, the combination of a head-block plate, adrop-perch hav- In testimony whereof I affix my signature,in IO ing aswell, c, Where united to headhlock presence of two Witnesses, this 23dday of Deplate, an upper circle-plate, a lower circlecernber, 1886.

plate having an arc slot, and a king-bolt for connecting the uppercircle-plate and the JOHN F. FALLON. perch, said bolt having arectangular portion,

g, or shoulder, where it passes through the \Vitnesses:

slot of the lower circle-plate, substantially as S. L. SOHRADER,

and for the purposes specified. EDWIN SAUTER.

